Michael Essien has shared that his decision to embark on a coaching career stemmed from a desire to avoid post-retirement depression.
The former Chelsea midfielder, who won the Champions League in 2012, recognized that depression can be a significant issue for retired athletes and aimed to prevent falling victim to it.
Currently serving as an assistant coach at Danish club Nordsjaelland, Essien admitted that coaching wasn’t part of his initial plans. He obtained his UEFA A and UEFA Elite Youth A licenses in 2023 and has been actively involved in coaching since then.
“When I was playing, if you asked me about coaching, I would have said no,” he told Joy Sports. “But over time, I realized I had been in football all my life, so why not pursue coaching and stay connected to the sport and players?”
Essien emphasized that his decision was driven by a wish to avoid becoming one of those ex-players who retire, struggle with their next steps, and end up facing depression.
Despite speculation linking him to the Black Stars coaching position, he has no immediate plans to become a head coach.
“Right now, I’m not considering a head coach role; it feels too stressful. I prefer working behind the scenes, away from media attention, but you never know what the future holds,” he explained.
Essien earned 59 caps for the Black Stars, scoring nine goals, despite facing injuries during his international career.
At the club level, he made over 500 appearances, scoring 58 goals, particularly during his successful tenure at Chelsea, and he also played for Lyon, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Panathinaikos, and Persib Bandung before retiring at Sabail.
